ABSTRACT
There is a growing interest both academically and socially in the concept of “toxic masculinity” and the potential harm this may cause in relation to men’s experience of violence, aggression and mental health. Incidents of transphobic hate crime have garnered significant attention in recent years politically, legally and socially. Existing hate crime literature often frames these incidents as isolated and extreme due to their foci on more physically and sexually violent acts committed in public by strangers. Such research often masks the frequency and severity of private acts of violence committed within sexual or romantic relationships. Thus, more prevalent volume crimes of verbal violence are frequently overlooked together with the power of language and labelling which can be a pervasive conduit of toxic masculinity, the impact of which on perpetrators and victims should not be underestimated.
In this chapter, we offer an alternative framework for understanding violence against trans women by discussing trans women’s experiences of verbal and physical violence by prior male romantic partners or sexual acquaintances. We explore the interconnectedness of toxic masculinity and internalised homophobia that perpetrators may experience after knowingly engaging in sexual or romantic relationships with trans women; and the projected externalised transphobic reaction that may be expressed as extreme violence against their sexual or romantic partner.
